Active Listening

傾聽是我們最好的伙伴，當你感到傷心時，傾聽朋友一句安慰的話，你會破涕而笑；當你驕傲自滿的時候，傾聽老師一句批評的話，你會看得更遠；當你犯錯誤的時候，傾聽長輩們一句教誨的話，你會站得更直。可見傾聽是多么重要，那么如何學會傾聽？有哪些注意事項呢？

While others are talking，you are thinking what you want to say instead of listening to them. This either keeps you from sending a clear message or keeps you from receiving the message the other person is trying to send. The thing can become a block to good communication. You need to improve your communication with others.

Active listening is a way of listening to others that lets them know you are working to understand the message they are sending.

Make sure your body language conveys（傳遞） to them that you are interested in listening. You can make eye contact（聯系） with them，and nod as they are talking to let them know you are listening.

Try to stop whatever you are doing that may distract（使分心） you from their message. Such as watching television or trying to read while the person is talking to you. Trying to listen while doing other tasks usually does not allow one to hear the message clearly.

Listen for the content（內容） and the feelings behind the words. Do not just listen to the content of what is being said. Listen for the feeling that the person is trying to convey to you. Are they expressing joy，sadness，either through their words or body language？

When the person has finished talking，paraphrase back to him what you heard him saying. “What I am hearing from you is ...”“It sounds like ...was very upsetting for you.”

Do not offer （提供） advice to the person. When we offer advice，especially when it was not asked for.

You will be surprised at how your conversations and relationships（人際關系） change when you focus on （集中于） listening to the other person rather than thinking of your next response （反應）.

跟蹤練習：

1. The words “become a block to” in Paragraph 1 probably mean “ ”.

A. get in the way of" " " B. have good influence on

C. make a choice of" " " D. prepare for

2. Which of the following helps you to be an active listener？

A. Giving the speaker some advice.

B. Asking the speaker to stop using body language.

C. Caring about the feeling the speaker wants to tell you.

D. Thinking what you want to say when the speaker is talking.

3. What" can we learn from this passage？

A. We learned listening is a way of good communication.

B. We learned how to listen.

C. We learned the ways to listen.

D. We learned how to communicate with each other while listening.

答案解析：

1. A. 短語猜測題。根據第一段“While others are talking， you are thinking what you want to say instead of listening to them. ...The things can become a block to good communication. （當別人說話的時候，你在思考要說什么，而不是在聽他們說話……這讓你無法接受對方想要傳達的信息。）”可知，沒有認真傾聽會妨礙良好的溝通，get in the way of 表示“妨礙”。故選A。

2. C. 推理判斷題。根據第五段“Listen for the content（內容） and the feelings behind the words. Do not just listen to the content of what is being said. ... Are they expressing joy， sadness， either through their words or body language？”可知，不要只聽所說的內容，還要關注說話者想告訴你的感受，他們想表達喜悅、興奮還是煩惱。故選C。

3. C.細節理解題。本文從第三段到第六段主要向我們講述了傾聽的方法和建議。由此可得知選項C符合題意。